


The Winter Doe

by StrategicDilemma



Series: Bederia Week 2020 [4]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bederia Week 2020, Cabins, DressedinPinkShipping, F/M, Graphic Description, Ice Powers, Magical Realism, Magical Realism in Pokemon, Shinoh-chihou | Sinnoh, Transformation, Winter, bederia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrategicDilemma/pseuds/StrategicDilemma
Summary: Bede stays in a log cabin outside Sinnoh's Lake Acuity.Rated T for graphic imagery.Bederia Week Day 4: Fantasy
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: Bederia Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642540
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	The Winter Doe

**Author's Note:**

> Hands down, this is my favorite fic that I've written so far.
> 
> This is sort of a "magical realism in the Pokemon world" fic, as it still takes place in the Pokemon universe.
> 
> WARNING: There is some graphic descriptions near the end of this fic.
> 
> I love this fic and I hope you do too. I might right more to this universe if I flesh it out a bit more.
> 
> Enjoy!

Bede’s eye cracked open, light filling the room through the giant window wall. The sun was barely in the sky, but the fresh snow covering reflected it proudly, the tiny crystals sparkling. Yawning, Bede sat up, stretching his arms until his shoulders popped. The bedroom of the cabin was surprisingly spacious, housing an impressive-sized bed, a bureau, and two nightstands. Bede was swimming in the excess mattress and sheets, clearly meant to house more than just one person.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he placed his feet on the wooden floor. Bede walked over to the window wall, looking out on the bright horizon. Acuity Lakefront was surely something to behold. Bede had seen his fair share of winters, but none could quite top this. He could see a small herd of Snover shuffle through the snow in the trees surrounding the cabin, following after an Abomasnow.

He thought he heard movement in another room of the cabin, but he ignored it, fascinated by the sparkling snow and the tiny hints the waters of Lake Acuity between the trees. He would have to thank Gloria for the idea; staying in a log cabin in one of the coldest regions on the planet was not his first choice of trip, but it was truly proving itself to be worth it. Surely, it would not help Gloria’s ego, especially since she had told him that he would enjoy it, but she would be happy for him as well.

Hinges screeched as the door to the bedroom open, finally causing Bede to turn towards the sound.

A Pokemon stepped into the room, the large tufts of white fur around its feet doing little to muffle the clack of hooves on the wooden floor. Its underbelly was also white, leading to a fluffy white mane around the base of its neck. These white highlights dramatically contrasted the rest of its fur, coated in a dark brown with a thin lining of orange bordering the white. Antlers stood tall on its head, coated in pure white as though they were tree branches covered in snow.

It observed Bede, its dark eyes intense while its face was soft, white fur lining its snout as it flicked its ears questioningly.

Bede stood awestruck. He held out his hand gently, palm up, as an offering.

“It’s been a while,” he spoke softly.

The Pokemon flicked its ears once more but walked across the room toward him, its neck stretched forward as it approached. Immediately, it rubbed its cheek against Bede’s open hand, the white fur soft of its cheeks softly morphing into the thicker, coarser fur of its neck. Its intense eyes held a tenderness in them, obviously knowing who Bede was.

He smiled.

“You are beautiful in your winter coat,” Bede murmured, using his other hand to touch the Pokemon’s antlers.

Sawsbuck huffed as a response, leaning forward to nuzzle Bede’s cheek with its nose. Bede smile grew as he wrapped his arms around its neck in a loose hug.

“So affectionate,” he teased. Sawsbuck grunted, its ears flicking Bede in the face. Bede leaned back to look at the Pokemon more carefully, his hand stroking its long neck as it looked down at him.

“I take it you’re my companion for the time being?” Bede asked. Sawsbuck bowed its head in a nod. “I can’t complain, then,” he shrugged. “I’d much prefer you over the alternative.” At that, a twinge of annoyance appearing in Sawsbuck’s eyes, ducking its head and poking Bede with its antlers.

“That was a _joke!_ ” Bede laughed, his hand resting on Sawsbucks’ forehead. “Let me get out of my pajamas and I’ll make us breakfast.”’

\----

Once Bede and Sawsbuck had eaten, Bede pulled on his winter coat and a pair of snow boots, wrapping a scarf around his neck. Sawsbuck waited patiently for him by the cabin door as he got ready, and the two ventured out into the snow.

The sun helped alleviate the coldness of the air, Bede noticed as he loosened his scarf. The old snow was compact and hard beneath his feet, his boots only sinking up to his ankle. The white of Sawsbuck’s winter coat blended perfectly into the surroundings as it bent its nose down to smell the earth. Bede rested a hand on its back, brushing over the white spots dotting the dark coat with his bare hand as they walked.

“I have to admit,” Bede said, catching his companion’s attention, “I _genuinely_ didn’t want to come here.” Sawsbuck’s ears flicked, but it seemed like it was listening. “I assumed my first trip to Sinnoh would be to visit the Canalave Library, or maybe the ruins in Celestic Town.”

He paused briefly when they came to a ledge they needed to climb, about a meter off the ground. Sawsbuck hopped up just fine, and it turned around and stretched its neck down, offering its antlers to Bede. He cautiously took one in his hands, giving a small tug to make sure it didn’t hurt Sawsbuck. He placed his foot on the ledge, pushing off it while Sawsbuck helped pull him up. Once he found his footing again on top of the ledge, they kept walking and he continued.

“In all honesty, I would have probably been dragged to Veilstone or Jubilife by everyone before anything else. It was at least more likely than me hanging out in a snowy mountain range.” Bede chuckled to himself as Sawsbuck grunted beside him. He turned to the Pokemon, stroking its cheek. “I at least see now why I had to come here.” He lost himself in the blackness of the its irises as Sawsbuck appreciatingly licked at Bede’s coat in response.

Once they reached Lake Acuity, all Bede could do was gasp. The sun reflected off the blue waves beautifully, filling the horizon with sparkles. The air was filled with soft scent of salt as the water gently bashed against the shore. He had only seen pictures of the Sinnoh lakes before, but nothing could have prepared him for this. He could barely see the other side, it was so massive. A small group of Snorunt marched along the shoreline not too far from them, shaking water droplets off themselves after going for a quick swim.

Sawsbuck watched Bede’s reaction, its eyes warm and gentle. Bede turned to it, sputtering as he was unable to express himself properly. “I-it’s… it’s _wonderful_ ,” he managed, the Pokemon nodding in agreement. Gently, it bent its neck over, lightly dipping its nose into the water, small ripples forming around it.

As Sawsbuck pulled the way, the ripples turned white, spreading wider and wider as a layer of ice covered the surface of the lake. Bede watches as the crystals speedily formed and spread, following the ripples across the water before they slowly died out. Before him stood a thick patch of ice, unmoving despite the rhythm of the water around it. Sawsbuck placed one leg on top of the ice, its hoof testing it underneath its weight. Once it deemed it safe, Sawsbuck walked confidently onto the ice, turning to look at Bede.

Hesitantly, Bede placed his boot on the ice, pressing into it. It _seemed_ stable, and he cautiously placed both of his feet on it, his arm wrapped around Sawsbuck’s back to not slip. Sawsbuck didn’t seem to mind, waiting for Bede to be comfortable before taking another step, the ice spreading out even farther from where its hoof touched. With each step, a path formed for them across the water.

“I didn’t know you could do this,” Bede whispered in shock. Sawsbuck didn’t react, but there was almost a twinkle in its eyes. The last time Bede had seen Sawsbuck, it was in its spring coat, and it could make tiny, pink flowers form around its feet with each step. _It must be weather based_ , he thought, as they made their way out further onto the water.

Looking down, Bede could see schools of Magikarp swimming beneath them, almost not caring of the magical ice forming on the surface. At one point, a Psyduck breached, watching Bede and Sawsbuck curiously as it waded in the water. Sawsbuck bowed its head in greeting, and Psyduck smiled as it quacked back.

“ _Normal_ Sawsbuck,” Bede muttered, pursing his lips, “wouldn’t get away with this stuff.” Sawsbuck nudged his face playfully with its cheek.

\----

Sawsbuck was with Bede for two full days following their first encounter. Figuring out how and where it was going to sleep in the cabin had been a bit of an issue, Bede insisting that it sleep on the floor and Sawsbuck _vehemently_ disagreeing. “There’s not enough space on the bed for you to sleep there!” Bede had yelled, waving its arms to the Pokemon stomping its hooves into the mattress. Sawsbuck had grunted angrily, biting down into a pillow and hurling it at Bede, feathers exploding against him.

In the end, Bede slept in his regular spot while Sawsbuck curled up at the bottom of the bed.

In the two days, they continued to explore the lakefront, finding small dens of Snover families that had happily greeted them. Sawsbuck’s powers seemed to extent beyond just water; by brushing it antlers against the bark of the tree, Sawsbuck could cover the wood in a thick case of beautiful ice, its jagged, sharp corners reminding Bede of a modern art statue he once saw in a museum.

There was so much Sawsbuck could communicate to him without saying a word. If Bede had known that this was the reason for coming to Sinnoh, that he would need to look after Sawsbuck, he wouldn’t have objected to the idea so heavily. Sawsbuck _needed_ him, and Bede wanted nothing more to take care of it.

At the end of the third day, Bede was lying in his bed, the lamps on the nightstand on as he read a book. Sawsbuck was in a different room of the cabin, leaving Bede some peace and quiet. Bede was about hallway through a page when he heard a _wail_ of pain echo through the wooden walls. Throwing his book to the side, Bede jumped out of bed, ready to run out as Sawsbuck burst through the door into his room. Its eyes were completely black, and its body was quaking.

“What’s wrong?” Bede cried, rushing over to Sawsbuck. It screamed in pain, shaking its head violently as its antlers broke off from its head and bounced off the floor.

It was time.

Bede quickly ran to the bathroom to grab a few towels and fill a glass of water as Sawsbuck continued to cry out in pain, its hooves ferociously stomping into the floor. Making it back to the bedroom, Bede stood back, putting the glass down on a nightstand and covering his ears with the towels, _desperately_ trying to muffle Sawsbuck agonizing screams.

Sawsbuck splayed its legs out and squatted close to the ground, viciously banging its hoof into the wooden floor. Its mane of white fur fell in clumps to the floor, and the wild movement of its legs shook off the white fur surrounding its feet. The dark fur fell in piles around it, flying off Sawsbucks back and legs in its jolting movement, its dark skin underneath slowly but surely become lighter and pinker.

With one loud _crack_ , its right hoof fell away from its leg, revealing a pale pink stump that bent at the wrist, small appendages rapidly jutting out of it in the form of five fingers. It cried out in relief, flexing its new hand. Slamming its other right hoof down, it too cracked away, revealing what quickly grew to be another hand. It pressed them flat into the floor, shifting its weight as it worked on freeing its back legs from their hooves.

Its whole form morphed, its ears and snout receding into its face, replacing the dark brown nose of Sawsbuck with its small, human equivalent. Its neck shrank, pulling its shoulders up closer to its now human face. The fur originally growing on its head grew out to its shoulders, slowly morphing into thin strands of human hair, sticking to its skin as beads of sweat fell from its face.

Bede watched intently, letting the towels fall from his ears as the guttural growls of Sawsbuck slowly morphed into gasps of air, the voice much more familiar and feminine.

With a thud, it fell to the floor on its _very_ human hands and knees, a Pokemon no longer.

Gloria wheezed, exhausted from her transformation, sweat falling from her naked body onto the wood and gory remains of her previous form. Looking around the room, her eyes fell on Bede, relief seemingly washing over her at the sight of him.

Bede immediately went to her side, sitting next to her and handing her the glass of water. He wrapped her naked body in the towels, rubbing the sweat and any remains of Sawsbuck from her skin. She greedily drank the water, tiny drops spilling from her face. With a gasp, she put the empty glass on the floor, and allowed Bede to pull her into his body, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

“That never looks fun,” he murmured, rubbing her through the towels. Gloria coughed.

“It never gets easier,” she replied, her voice hoarse and low.

Pulling back slightly, Bede looked over her face, using the edge of the towel to rub off the sweat and push her hair back. Her hair was the same color as Sawsbuck’s dark fur, but her eyes were brighter, not as intense. A shudder ran through Bede’s spine.

“You should have _told_ me that it was that sort of time for you,” he muttered.

Gloria breathlessly smiled, her eyes warm yet playful. “I know, I wanted to see if I could get you here without telling you.”

Bede pinched her cheek, and Gloria yelped in response. He was annoyed with her, but still he pulled her against him, one hand coming up to cradle her head as her bare arms wrapped around his center.

“You enjoyed yourself, don’t lie,” she breathed, her voice muffled against his shirt. Bede sighed, pulling her tighter against him.

**Author's Note:**

> Now THIS is my kind of fantasy.
> 
> Tumblr: https://strategicdilemma.tumblr.com/  
> Bederia server: https://discord.gg/c4p2KVS  
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/stratsdilemma


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